An Australian academy for
Eastern philosophy and metaphysics
Taoist thought and metaphysics are a valuable part of the world's shared intellectual and cultural heritage. We study Eastern philosophy and metaphysics through the original classics, using an academic approach and exploring how these ideas can inform everyday life.
Free · Online via Zoom · No commitment — or join our free community events
Source text in the public domain; English rendered literally by the Academy for study, without doctrinal interpretation.
Read the sources, not summaries of them
Most of the Academy's reading collections are open to the public; the Yi Jing reader and the canon's ritual and esoteric sections are for members and enrolled students. Every text carries its source and edition so you can check it.
From one free lesson to a full course of study
Every student begins the same way: sit in on one lesson, then decide. Nothing below requires the step before it to be paid for in advance.
One lesson online via Zoom. No fee, no commitment.
Eight lessons in one domain: core texts, key terms, and how to read them.
Ten and twelve lessons of closer reading. Opening domain by domain as recording completes.
Member library access, reading groups, and the Academy's research programs.
Five Dimensions of Growth
Five complementary pathways — rooted in the classical Five Arts — each addressing a different dimension of how we think, feel, know ourselves, shape our world, and adapt to change.
Rise above daily noise. Taoist philosophy trains the mind to see patterns, seek the essential, and act from a place of deep clarity rather than reaction.
Traditional Chinese practices — Qi Gong, inner cultivation, and classical life science frameworks — are associated in cultural tradition with emotional equilibrium, stress resilience, and sustained inner calm.
Understanding your temperament, tendencies, and life patterns — through cultural self-reflection rooted in classical Chinese wisdom — is the first step toward authentic change.
The Taoist sees self and environment as inseparable. Learn to create harmony in your home, relationships, and community — bringing your outer world into alignment with your inner values.
Change is the only constant. Grounded in Yi Jing systems thinking, this domain cultivates the wisdom to move fluidly with uncertainty, adapt with grace, and find opportunity in transition.
Who teaches, and who checks the teaching
Lecturers teach within their own field. Classical content is reviewed by an advisor who sits outside the Academy's structure.
Rebuilding the educational framework of Eastern life sciences within a Western context.
President of the Australian I Ching Application Association; community service at the core.
Independent advisor on the scholarly authenticity of the Academy's classical content.
Free public lessons, open to everyone
Public talks and classes run free of charge, with slides from past sessions kept online for anyone who missed them.
All programs are offered as academic, cultural and educational study of classical Chinese philosophy and cultural heritage. Course completion is recognised by the Academy and does not constitute an accredited Australian qualification.
Two Ways to Support Tao Academy
Become a Companion for ongoing benefits, or make a pure donation to fund free community programs — both keep our mission alive.
Membership fees are not tax-deductible · Donations may qualify (consult your tax adviser)